Envelope moistener and sealer



1934- A. s. KIRSHNER 1,970,460

ENVELOPE MOISTENER AND SEALER Filed Aug. 31 1933 Zhwentor MJMM W W mtomeg Patented Aug. 14, 1934 uN rEo s'm 'rs ENVELOPE MOIVS'IENER AND SEALER Abraham S. Kirshner, Glenside, Pa.

Application August 31,

12 Claims.

My invention relates to an improvement in envelope moisteners and sealers.

I procured a Patent No. 1,201,059, October 10, 1915, on an envelope moistener and sealer which had many meritorious features. The present invention accomplishes all that my former construction did, but is much simpler, and can be manufactured at a greatly reduced cost and can be placed on the market at a decided advantage to the consumer.

a My present invention differs very materially from my patented moistener and sealer. In the first place, the main portion of this present invention is made of asingle casting, to'which the co-operating'parts are attached.

In .the accompanying drawing:

' Fig. 1 is a view in perspective showing the moistener and sealer attached to a desk or table;

Fig; 2 is a vertical transverse sectionthrough the device shown in Fig. 1;

Fig.3 is a view showing the-several parts constituting my invention dismembered; and

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section on the line 44 of Fig. 2 looking downwardly as indicated by thearrows.

The casting which constitutes the. main frame of my present invention, and to which all other partsare secured, is shown detached and in perspective in Fig. 3, and'includes a bracket 1 by which it is attached to the desk or table or other support 2; the upright 3; the central frame 4 to which the reservoir 5 for holding the water is attached; the top plate 6, which constitutes a cover for the main portion of the reservoir; and the guide 7 at the bottom which leaves an intervening space 8 between it and the'central' frame 4, through which the envelope is drawn in its downward passage throughthe device.

The central frame has an'inwardly. projecting arm 9 between which and the main portion-of the central frame a diagonally disposed slot-10 is formed. This arm 9 is rigid and constitutes a support for the thin sheet-metal wick-holder 11. This wick-holder is formed by making a fold in the sheet-metal and between the folds a wicking or other absorbent material 12 is securely clamped. .The inner face 13 of the arm is inclined, and a tongue 14 is. struckfrom the body of'the sheet-metal forming the slot 15. This tongueld has a double function, one of which is to contribute inholding' the wick-holder more or less frictionally upon the upper edge of the arm '9, where it is held firmly by the thickened portion 16 'of the arm 9, which is ofthe triangular shape of the slot 15 and adapted; to fit 1933, Serial No. 687,715

the latter,- (see Figs. 2 and 3); and this spring tongue 14 has the further function of holding the piece of wicking orabsorbent material 12 outwardly in the path of the mucilaged" edge of the envelope flap as shown in Fig.2.

The reservoir 5 is preferably made of a single casting and is adapted to maintain the supply of water, and for this purpose it has a. cup '17 formed at one end whichopens into the main reservoir 5, and this cup 1'7 formsa seat for the end of a bottle or other supply tank 18 which is adapted to be filled with water and have its mouth inserted in the cup as shown in Figs. 1 and'2.

To make it rest securely therein, the washer 19 is preferably interposed between the neck of the bottle and the wall of the metal cup as viewed maintained by the water-seal formed between .the

the reservoir 5, where it is-submerged in the water contained therein; and the reason of its absorbent qualities and capillary attraction, it keeps the wicking 12 properlymoist at all times.

The casting constituting the reservoir 5 is fashioned to fit and interlock with the central frame 1 of the main casting by means of the lug 21 entering beneath the one end of the top plate 6 andthe lug.23 at the end of the reservoir entering and fitting the notch 24. The top plate 6' constitutes a cover over the main portion of the reservoir and all that portion not covered by the bottle 18, when the parts are assembled. n

The reservoir is secured to the central frame of the main casting by means of a screw 25 entering through the hole 26 in the reservoir cast ing and the hole 2'7 in the central frame. F]: of the main casting. v

A finger-guide 28 at the top guides the edge of the envelope close against the wick-holder 11, and assists the crease of the envelope fiapto ride on the edge of the wick-holder and astride the latter, so that the mucilaged part ofthe fiapinvariably wipes against the wicking 12 in the downward movement of the envelope. Fingerguide 28 also aids the operator in starting an' nvelope through as it forms an entrance.

A sealing-brush 29 is held rigidly against the central frame 4 and the guide 7 by means of a pin or screw 30, as shown in the lower portion of Fig. 2.

In sealing the envelope, it is grasped so that the flap is toward the operator, and the lower left corner is inserted in the space 31 formed by the finger-guide 28 at the top so that the flap is astride:the wick-holder 11, the flap passing down through the space 31 betweenthe wick l2 and the inner edge of the cover 6, and thence the envelope and the moistened flap pass back of the central frame 4 and between the guide 7 and the bristles of the sealingbrush 29, thepressure of the brush being adapted. to press themois tened flap against the envelope with ziustqsufficient pressure to effect a perfect sealing.

The direction of the flap-throt igh tl-ie envelopemoistener and sealer I have endeavored toindi-,

cate by broken dotted lines 32 in Fig. 2.

':I claim: 1 r envelope'moistener and sealer; including a main frame: made in "a singleypiece and comprising an uprightgai central vframe having .an arm at its upper edge, andan envelope-moistener secured .tocthis-arm,1the'envelope moistener made upofa wicking and a folded strip of sheetmetal slotted to form a tongue, which latter is bentJaterallyand has the double function of assisting in .frictionally holding the wick-holder in place and forcing the wicking outwardly in the path of 'thefflapof :.the envelope to be sealed. .2..An envelope moistener and sealer including a main frame made ina singlepiece and comprising anupright'a central frame having an arm at-its upper edge, andian envelopemoistener secured-to thisarm, .the envelope moistener made up of a wicking 'andlafolded strip of sheet-metal slotted toform a tongue-which latter is-bent laterally andhas :.the .double function of assisting in ifrictionally holding the'wick-holder in place and forcing ithe'awicking outwardly in the path of the rflap of the envelope to be sealed, the arm havinga'thickened:portion of the shape of the slot inrtherwick holder andsadapted'to fit the latter, whereby to secure -the wick-holder firmlyi'n position when in place.

3. An envelope moistener and-sealer, 1'lI1C1lld.--

ing a casting, aires'ervoirfor water, a tank, a

moistening wicksecured to the casting and extending into the reservoir, the casting having slots at different elevations therein through which the fiapof the envelope t'oibemoistenejd is guided in its-passage through themoistener and sealer, the reservoir havingan overflow to maintain a constant waterlevel in the reservoir in order to k'eepthe moistening-wickproperly and uniformly moistened.

4. An -envelope moistener and sealer, .comprising a casting, a reservoir, means for maintain-- ing a constant level of water therein, a fingerguide, a wick-holder, a guide and a sealing-' brush, the'bristles of the brush presented fiat wise Itolthe guide, between which guide and scal ing-brush the flap and envelope are passed, whereby to press the moistened flap' against the envelope to effect the sealing of the latter.

i 5. The combination with a castingincluding a central frame, .a .top ,plate, a guide, and an arm so disposed that slots are formed between it and the main portion of the central frame, and between it and the top plate, whereby a passageway :is provided for the flap of an envelope successively .through said slots, means for moistening way is provided for the flap of an envelope successively through said slots, means for moisteniingithe edge of the flap of the envelope during itspassagefromone of said slots to the other,

"theside "of 'whichbristles press the moistened .flap againstthe envelope as the envelope and flap pass between the guide and said means, a

reservoir'partially covered by the top plate for supplying :water to the moistening means, and means for supplying a constant flow of water to the reservoir. v i

'I. The combinationaofza main frame include ing an-upright, and. a ,centraliframe :having an inwardlyprojecting arm between which and the main portion ofthe central frame a slot is formed, a :reservoir secured. .to the central frame: an'da wick :having .a .portionwhich extends intoqthe. reservoir, -and 'the remaining portion being held in the path of the; flap of. .the. envelopeto be moistened.

8. Min envelopexmoistener :and sealer including a. main frame comprisingan upright; a central frame, and a moistener vsecured .tOIiJhEiGEIltrahframe, the, .moistenerzmade iupzof .awicking anda strip of :sheetemetalsslotted :toform a tongue, which tonguetis :bentlaterally and .has the double function :of assisting: in fi'ictionally holding :the ,wick-holderuina place and zof. forcing the wicking intorthe path of'ithe envelope lto be sealed.

:9. The 'combina'tionof a casting, including an upright, a :central .frame .integral therewith, said central frame :having an am so arranged as to :.provide an interveningtslotibetweenitand the main portion of the central frame, a reservoir secured to the 'centralframe, .and:1a.moistener SECIlIGdntO the arm and. extending into the 'reservoir and :in the path of .l movement .of thaflap' of the :envelope on its passage in 'contact with the moistener-sand throughthe slot between the central frame andits arm;

' 10. 111 .an envelope moistener land sealer, the combination of a mainframe including an uprightland a central frame, the latter having a slot thereacrossra reservoir supported by the: central frame, a wick, :a portion of which extends into the reservoir, and means for holding the remainingportion of the wick in'the path: of an envelopekflap taking a downward course from the top-of thermain frame through the slot in the central frame.

11. Anen'velope moistener and sealer, including .a main frame, anintegral centralframe and topplate suitably spaced apart, a reservoir securedto the central frameand having an open upper end which is closed by the topplate, one edge ofthe top plate forming a guide for the envelope 'flap, a wick holder supported by the cen-' tral frame opposite the edge 'of the topuplate, and between which and thetop-plate the envelope flap is drawn on'its passage through the moistener and sealer.

12., 'An envelope moistener and sealer, includingamainframe, an integral central frameand top plate suitablyspaced apart, thecentral frame.

having a transversely extending slot, a reservoir ;se cure.d to the central frame and having an open 311131381 end which is closed by the top plate, one edge of the top plate forming a guide for the envelope flap, a wick-holder supported by the eentral .frame opposite the edge of the top plate, 

